Toshiba Qosmio G30: Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile and HD DVD - Review

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Core 2 Duo Mobile

The new Core 2 Duo is very similar to the old Core Duo. The same chipsets are used -the Intel 945PM and the 945GM- and both processors use Socket 479. Just like the Core Duo, the new Core 2 Duo uses a 667 MHz processor bus, which is remarkably slower than the one used by the desktop processors. However, the mobile version of Intel's newest processor does share a choice of 2 or 4 MB cache memory with its desktop brethren. The 2 MB models make up the T5XXX series, the editions with twice as much cache are the T7XXX series.

Just like the Core Duo, the Core 2 Duo offers Mobile Enhanced Deeper Sleep. This makes it possible to copy the processor's entire cache memory to the internal system memory which allows the processor to work with minimal voltage settings. Dynamic Power Coordination makes a return as well, which takes care of the processor's energy management centrally.

The Qosmio G30 came with the Intel Core 2 Duo T7400 (2.13 GHz). The test results in PC Mark 2005 CPU prove that this processor does not disappoint. Even the XXODD D900K, which has an AMD Athlon 64 FX-60 is roundly trounced. Intel has thus taken a big step in the notebook market, especially when one realizes that this isn't even the fastest edition of the Core 2 Duo. Regrettably, the processor test of the ageing PCMark 04 refused to run on the Core 2 Duo T7400. The Qosmio G30 is naturally not the best configuration to talk about the battery efficiency of the Core 2 Duo Mobile, because the set-up is plainly too beefy. Still, the results do not disappoint, as the Qosmio reaches a maximum working time of 3 hours with the provided 7200 mAh battery. Not bad for this configuration.

Conclusion

The Qosmio G30 is a special notebook with outstanding specifications: an HD DVD player, an nVidia GeForce 7600 256 MB video card, a 17 inch 1920x1200 monitor, two hard drives and the impressive performance figures of the new Intel Core 2 Duo T7400. This yields a machine with excellent performance results and the capability to let the user enjoy HD DVD.

We tested a prototype, and later this year the Qosmio G30 with Intel Core 2 Duo will be on the market in a slightly altered configuration. The price in the Netherlands is expected to be € 3,299, which means that the enjoyment of what this machine has to offer will be limited to a small crowd. On the other hand, if HD DVD proves to be a success, there will certainly be more notebooks forthcoming with HD DVD playback capabilities.